A compartment of your washing machine usually remains unused, yet it can be the key to saving money and unnecessary trips.
What function are we talking about? One increasingly unknown detail of washing machines today is the pre-wash. It ensures that stubborn stains disappear from clothes. We explain what it is and why you should know about it to save your wallet.
The enemy of stubborn stains
What is the pre-wash? It is a washing cycle that soaks the clothes. Modern washing machines use lukewarm water (around 30 degrees Celsius), in which universal or color detergents are dissolved (see manufacturer’s instructions on the package).
The drum turns slowly until the pre-wash is completed after about 20 to 30 minutes, and the main washing cycle begins.
Where does the detergent for the pre-wash go? You probably have three compartments in your machine, one of which is labeled with an Arabic 1
or a Roman I
. That is the compartment for the pre-wash.
How can I save money with this? Pre-wash, of course, requires extra water, electricity, and detergent, but it may help you get rid of stubborn stains. Otherwise, you may have to take them to a laundry service – and that definitely costs more. According to the Association of Energy Consumers, depending on your electricity and water rates, you might pay about 25 euros more per year for regular pre-washes.
Why has the pre-wash fallen out of fashion? Think for a moment about how long you wear clothes on average before they end up in the machine. Probably most pieces only for a few days – if that long at all. In the past, it was different, as dirt had much longer to settle and harden in the fabric.
Washing by hand is a significant effort – and was the norm for thousands of years. Additionally, many more people were confronted with all kinds of dirt in their daily work. However, even today, fabric can become soiled in ways that can only be removed with a pre-wash.
Should I pre-wash everything just in case? No, certainly not. Some types of clothing/materials should not be machine pre-washed at all; if anything, they should be washed by hand. This is also possible due to the low water temperatures. Simply gently massage the clothes in a tub with water and detergent, let them sit for an hour, and then fill the drum with the wet clothes.
Consider the pre-wash in the machine as your special weapon against nasty stains, which you should only use when you are sure that you will not cause more damage than you fix.
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